Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul rejects Trump’s Greenland claims | EUROtoday

Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) has rejected the declare to possession of Greenland confirmed by US President Donald Trump. It is “clear that it is solely up to Greenland and Denmark to decide on questions of territory and sovereignty of Greenland,” Wadephul advised “Bild am Sonntag” earlier than his journey to Washington. He additionally underlined the significance of safety within the Arctic.

The Arctic area has “taken on a new security policy significance,” mentioned Wadephul. “This importance will continue to increase, precisely because Russia and China have interests there that run counter to ours.”

Wadephul leaves on Sunday for a visit to Washington with a stopover in Iceland. He desires to fulfill his counterpart Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir within the capital Reykjavik. Among different issues, they’re more likely to speak about Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, which lies between Iceland and the USA, to the United States.

Like the USA and Germany, Iceland and Greenland, which formally belongs to Denmark, are members of NATO. Security within the Arctic area can also be more likely to be a subject when Wadephul talks to Gunnarsdóttir.

On Monday, Wadephul will meet together with his US counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington to debate efforts to finish Russia’s conflict of aggression towards Ukraine and transatlantic safety and protection coverage.

Trump has sparked unrest and outrage amongst European allies as a result of he lately reaffirmed the US’s declare to possession of the island of Greenland, which belongs to the NATO nation Denmark. According to the White House, the US President isn’t ruling out navy drive with the intention to seize Greenland, which is wealthy in uncooked supplies. Trump cited US nationwide safety because the justification for his needs; There are too many Russian and Chinese ships touring round Greenland.